Where can I learn how to change a consumer unit?

[Mr Sparkle]

I would like to expand my knowledge of electrics by learning how to change a consumer unit

Can any one advise on the best place to find resources?

I am no expert, however over the past couple of years I have grown to love electrics and I have become very comfortable doing the following

- Extending a ring circuit
- adding spurs
- adding additional lights to a circuit
- Adding two way switches
- chasing walls and feeding wires
- wiring extractor fans

Now is the time for growth

 

[JP_]

I'd probably wait for a course to start at a local college. Although probably all distance learning at the moment - my local college is. I was going to do a woodwork course but online only at the moment, which seems a bit pointless!

 

[Taylortwocities]

How well do you know the Wiring regulations (BS7671)?
What do you have in the way of test equipment?

edit.

Quite honestly, changing a consumer unit is like a heart/lung transplant for your installation. To continue the analogy, even the most experienced and keen first and aider would not embark on such a difficult operation!
There’s so much to go wrong, to know and to understand.

I admire your ambition but better to lower your horizons. I don’t know if you plan to do this as a living, but formal training and experience is needed. Lots of it too!

 

[ericmark]

If changing a consumer unit by the book, then looking at £500 plus for test equipment, also problem getting it officially isolated. I did look at changing one by resigistoring it with local building control, and even as a time served electrician simply not worth the hassle.

Of course you can break all the rules, but a collage will not show you how to do it wrong, at least I hope not.

 

[AndyPRK]

There are a number of videos on youtube for thought provocation.
How to do it and how not to do it.

e.g
Nick Bundy

 

[RF Lighting]

I learned how to replace consumer units on a four year apprenticeship.

 

[ericmark]

I learned how to replace consumer units on a four year apprenticeship.

Oh a short one, I had to do 5 years, but to be frank I don't follow the rules to the letter, I don't think 90% of electricians do, and so this is where the problem lies, no one can teach how to break the rules, the master may tell the apprentice, but no collage will tell a student, so only way is an apprenticeship.

 

[RF Lighting]

I competed my four year formal apprenticeship, but still kept working along side the more experienced chaps until I had done seven years. I think this was a great training experience for me, and at this point I had a good technical and practical knowledge of the job.

It was at this time I started running my own jobs and also training up the next generation of apprentices.

I always remember the owner of the firm telling an 18 year old me how he had served a seven year apprenticeship, and me scoffing thinking I knew it all two years into the job. In hindsight, he was absolutely right. A minimum of seven years formal and non formal training to me is required to become a proper electrician.

I’ve been doing this job a long time now, and have found my self working in some quite varied specialist sections of the industry, now even more than ever, but I have never stopped leaning, and never pretended that I know it all. I do however like to think that as far as I know, all of my work complies with BS7671 as a minimum standard.

 

[Jackrae]

......I do however like to think that as far as I know, all of my work complies with BS7671 as a minimum standard.

I like that. In my experience, the philosophy seems to be that work has to meet a standard to be acceptable; whereas the standard is, as you say, the minimum that is acceptable.

 

[JohnW2]

I like that. In my experience, the philosophy seems to be that work has to meet a standard to be acceptable; whereas the standard is, as you say, the minimum that is acceptable.

Very true.

The catch, in practice, in almost all fields, is that a pretty high proportion of customers/clients don't want to pay for more than that which is the minimum that is 'acceptable'. Indeed, I suspect we are all guilty of that to some extent - hands up everyone who replaces their vehicle's tyres long before the tread is down to the 'minimum acceptable', even though it would be safer to do so!

Kind Regards, John

 

[OwainDIYer]

I learned how to replace consumer units on a four year apprenticeship.

I did mine on a Saturday.

Secondhand ones are cheap on Ebay and it's easy to make up a demonstration board with the CU, standard circuits, etc, as would be used in a college training bay.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

How well do you know the Wiring regulations (BS7671)?
What do you have in the way of test equipment?

edit.

Quite honestly, changing a consumer unit is like a heart/lung transplant for your installation. To continue the analogy, even the most experienced and keen first and aider would not embark on such a difficult operation!
There’s so much to go wrong, to know and to understand.

I admire your ambition but better to lower your horizons. I don’t know if you plan to do this as a living, but formal training and experience is needed. Lots of it too!

As a diy'er I do not have any of the specialist equipment a qualified sparky would have

I am happy to undergo formal training. Someone mentioned a college. With covid and distance learning, is this still the best method?

 

[Mr Sparkle]

There are a number of videos on youtube for thought provocation.
How to do it and how not to do it.

e.g
Nick Bundy

Just subscribed!

His vids on consumer units have definitely whet my appetite

Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

Formal training provides a general grounding in electrical installation matters. If you are not in or going in to the industry then you’ll probably be limited to an NVQ level 2 course. Thus is a typical offering
https://kingston-college.ac.uk/subj...-diploma-in-electrical-installation-full-time

Note that it’s a year course, 3 days a week, at the college (electricianing is a practical past time). Will there be a day later in the course where you wire up a whole consumer unit? Maybe, maybe not.

I’ve never seen a Specific “change a consumer unit course”. As I have tried to say, you need a lorra lorra understanding and skills before doing something like this.

 

[Notch7]

I probably shouldn't mention this but I fitted a new 3 phase board which had about 40 ways, in my last joinery factory, I've got no formal training. The fixed installation test did throw up a couple of C2s.

I wouldn't want to do a domestic consumer unit though, theres a lot of testing and knowledge needed and even if done correctly no electrician would come and certify it.